The Things I Love Most About a Cruise Holiday …

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Have you ever been on a cruise or have you booked to travel on one in the future?  Cruising is such a wonderful holiday and we travelled on the Pacific Star almost 8 years ago.  It was a seven-day Cruise which left from Brisbane and sailed to Noumea, Lifou and Vila before returning home.

Today I thought I would share what I love the most about cruising:

  • Exceptional Value.  Some cruises (particularly if you get a great deal) can cost less than $100/person/day.  It’s hard to find better value when you consider that meals, entertainment and most activities are included in the price.  We found the standard of meals to be great and we often had multiple options to choose from on menus as well as a choice of restaurants.
  • So much to Do or Do Nothing at all.  I love this because if you want a quiet, relaxing day you can do pretty much nothing or alternatively, you can be kept busy every second with so many activities to choose from.  We managed to balance the two – time to be active and time to relax.
  • Everything is included.  Other than drinks and souvenirs, the only other money I spent was to treat myself to a facial and manicure.
  • You get to anticipate the cost.  Because most things are covered, it was easy to estimate how much spending money to budget for.  It’s even possible to get an idea of the cost of shore tours (if you want to do them – we didn’t) before you go.  While all meals are included, on some ships it’s possible to pay to dine at specialty restaurants (only if you want to) but the additional charge is usually much less than you would pay for a similar restaurant at home.  This is ideal for celebrating a special occasion.
  • Entertainment for the kids.  Kids Clubs and Teen Clubs are a fantastic way to keep the children entertained and the programs on offer are wonderful.  The kids had such a good time and made so many friends (which also means that Mum and Dad get a break and the opportunity to spend some time together).
  • Great way to meet other people.  Dining with others and participating in activities is a great way to make new friends with many friendships lasting long after the holiday is over.

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  • You only unpack once.  If you’ve previously travelled to numerous destinations in a single holiday, you will appreciate the benefit here.  No more relocating to a new hotel every couple of nights, dragging your suitcase along and packing it and unpacking it.
  • You travel while you’re asleep.  Unlike a plane where you may struggle to get a couple hours of sleep in a seated position, on a cruise you sleep in the comfort of your cabin and often wake up to a new port every couple of days.
  • Security.  Cruise ships generally issue passengers with an I’D card when they board.  This card also becomes your way to charge drinks, shopping, shore tours and any other expenses to your account.  This meant we didn’t need to carry any cash or credit cards on the ship and could lock those securely in our cabin safe along with our passports and any other valuables.  The only time we needed cash or credit cards was in port.
  • Something for everyone.  There is such a wide range of activities that it would be almost impossible not to find activities that appealed to you.
  • “Sample” your destinations.  Cruising is a great way to sample a city, country or region to see what it has to offer.  Places you especially love you can revisit on another holiday.  Places you don’t enjoy as much, well at least you can say you’ve been there.
  • Themed nights.  Most cruises hold evenings with a theme such as Hawaiian night, Italian night, Fancy Dress nights as well as a couple of formal nights depending on the length of the cruise.  These nights are so much fun and add to the adventure of the cruise.

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  • And the absolute best thing to love about a cruise holiday … no cooking and no housework … no explanation needed!

Finally, if you do decide to book a cruise make sure you shop around.  As more cruise ships set sail, that means more cabins and more cabins mean better deals.  We’ve booked another cruise for the end of the year and have saved heaps on the brochure price by shopping around and eventually booking online.

So tell me, have you been on a cruise and what did you enjoy most about the experience?

 

Comments

  1. OK this is going to sound really weird but… can kids easily fall overboard? I have always had tis fear of my kids climbing the barrier and going overboard and that is just one of the reasons I have never been on a cruise. xx

    • No it doesn’t sound weird at all … I used to worry about that too but honestly, it’s really safe and the best holiday you could imagine! The kids don’t have time to get up to mischief as they’re too busy having a great time.

  2. I have ALWAYS wanted to go on a cruise! I saw one in Wellington (NZ) the other day and it was magical. I was lucky enough to go aboard the Star Princess when I did my tourism course and WOW is all I can say. They are truly amazing!

    • Hi Deb and welcome! A cruise holiday is such a wonderful experience for the whole family. Almost everything is included, the food is fantastic and the entertainment is awesome … you can do as much as you like or as little as you like! All you need to do now is set yourself a goal, save hard and you’ll be sailing on the high seas before you know it!

  3. Great post and couldn’t agree more, total cruise convert here! We went to Noumea, Lifou and Vanuatu in 2009; and NZ in 2012 as a family. In December I’m doing the Noumea cruise again with my 3 best girlfriends – can’t wait! AND hot off the press – hubster and I are in the process of booking a holiday for our 25th wedding anniversary next year – and we are cruising the Mediterranean – CAN’T WAIT!

    I think I *have* to share this post on my Facebook feed, coz it really does say it all EXCEPT you forgot – no cooking or housework – what’s not to love!

    • Please feel free to share the post … that would be great and you’re so right … no cooking and housework are probably the two best reasons of all to enjoy a cruise! You must be so excited about you cruise with friends and as for the Mediterranean Cruise … WOW! Can’t wait to read all about it!